Myanmar - Burma - Chinthe

India Khajuraho

The Chinthe is a leogryph (lion-like creature) that is often seen at the entrances of pagodas and temples in Myanmar and other South and Southeast Asian countries. It features prominently on the kyat, the currency of Burma and the Sri Lankan rupee.

The chinthe is almost always depicted in pairs, and protects the pagoda.

One story of why chinthes guard the entrances of temples and pagodas:

A princess married a lion and bore him a son through her. She later abandoned the lion who then became enraged and set out to terrorize the lands. The son then went out and killed this beast. When he returned his mother revealed he'd killed his own father. The son then dedicated a statue of the lion as a guardian of a temple to atone for his sin.

The chinthe is revered and loved by the Burmese people and is used symbolically on the royal thrones of Burma. Predating the use of coins for money, brass weights cast in the shape of mythical beasts like the chinthe were commonly used to measure standard quantities of staple items. Some of these shaped weights can still be seen in local markets

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